EcoCostas EcoCostas is an NGO established in 1998 that aims to promote sustainability and equity in the use of coastal resources in Latin America and the Caribbean. EcoCostas approach is to strengthen the cooperation among the public sector, private sector and civil partnerships to facilitate long-term benefits, development of science, and equity in the use of coastal resources. These factors are considered fundamental to achieve sustainability in coastal environments. The NGO’s website includes general background information on the organization, methods, publications, etc.

Fig 1. Map of forest change and threats to coastal water quality in the Caribbean. Deforestation causes catchment disturbance leading to increased flashiness and higher nutrient and sediment input into water bodies.
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Network of Eutrophication of Lakes and Reservoirs (Red Tematica de Eutrofizacion de Lagos y Embalses)Theis network is the product of the Ibero-American Program of Science and Technology for Development (CYTED). It comprises 35 research groups in 14 Ibero-American countries and aims to evaluate the status of eutrophication and promote sustainable water management at different levels to improve human welfare. The website contains information on participant research groups, workshops, activities, publications, etc.

Publications

Applicability of LOICZ Catchment – Coast Continuum in a Major Caribbean Basin: The Magdalena River, ColombiaRestrepo, J.D. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 77(2): 214-229, 2008. The Land Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) approach is used within the Magdalena River Project (MRP) to improve current scientific understanding of the catchment and interactions between anthropogenic activity and the neighboring coastal environment. Sediment transport/load, land-use, human activity, and deterioration of coral and seagrass populations within the basin are among the topics covered in this study.